Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alf was the eldest of four children of Thomas Gorringe (b1877 in Sussex, England) and Eleanor Bugden (b1877 in Sussex, England), Thomas (a Cooper) and Eleanor married in 1901 and lived in Sussex where Thomas was working as a House Painter by 1911. Thomas and Eleanor emmigrated in 1911, arriving in Fremantle WA with their four children on board the Armadale. Thomas worked as a House Painter.

Electoral records indicate Alf worked as a Baker in Fremantle, where in 1924 he married Ethel May Dyson (b1903 at Bibra Lake, Fremantle, WA). The couple settled in Belmont, Perth WA where Alf was working as a Baker when he enlisted in the RAAF July 1942 - in his Attestation Papers Alf states that he was a Truck Driver/Storeman for FH Faulding and Co, and had a reference stating he had worked as a Plasterer on Sewerage and Maintenance Works with Metropolitan Water Supply between 1930 and 1941 (National Archives Australia). Alf was a Leading Aircraftman (Service No:81358) attached to No 10 Stores Depot (Cook) when he was Court Martialled with several others for the offence of stealing some butter and tea. Alf's records showed he had an 'unblemished record'. He was attached to 6 Central Reserve when he was Discharged in July 1947. Brothers Stanley Clarence (Service No:W47046) and Maurice George (Service No:WX1190), and children Patricia (Service No:WF93964) and John (Service No:WX501145) also served in WWII.

Alf and Ethel lived in Mt Pleasant, Fremantle WA where Alf worked as a Baker before retiring to Bunbury WA in the mid 1960's. Alf died in 1969 and Ethel in 1988.